Chinese security forces detained a Tibetan monk from Rongwo Monastery on suspicions that he had kept the Dalai Lama’s photos on his mobile phone and shared them with friends online in Rebgong (Ch: Tongren) County in Malho (Ch: Huangnan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. The monk, Chophel, 46, was detained from his monastery on 10 July 2015. Almost two months…
A young Tibetan Buddhist monk from Kirti monastery has been detained by the Chinese police for launching a peaceful solo protest in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) County town in Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. Information received by TCHRD reveals that Lobsang Kelsang, 19, was arrested at around 3 pm local time, on 7 September 2015. In one of…
Chinese authorities have deepened the crackdown on local Tibetans following the self-immolation of Sangyal Tso, a Tibetan mother of two, who died of self-immolation protest late last month in Dokhog (Ch: Daogao) Township in Chone (Ch: Zhuoni) County, Kanlho (Ch: Gannan) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province, in the Tibetan province of Amdo.
According to reliable information received by TCHRD, two monks were detained in the first week of June from Choephel Shing Tashi Choekorling Monastery based in Dokhog Township. Samten Gyatso, a student at the monastery’s traditional medical college was detained on 4 June and taken to an undisclosed location. Lobsang Tenzin was a student of Buddhist dialectics college at the monastery until his sudden and arbitrary detention on 5 June.
Both monks are in their 20s and hail from the same village as Sangyal Tso, who was born and raised in Meru Sipa Village in Nyinpa (Ch: Niba) Township, Chone County. There is no information on the current condition and well-being of the monks.
A Tibetan monk was arrested and forcibly taken away by local police in Tawu (Ch: Daofu) County in Kardze (Ch: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, in the Tibetan province of Kham.
Tsewang Chophel, 26, who is a monk at Nyitso Monastery, was detained on 18 May 2015. According to a source, “At around 10.30 am, while Tsewang Chophel was approaching on his bike, he was suddenly arrested by the Chinese police near the Chikshe village.”
As of now, no one knows the reason behind his arrest and his physical condition.
According to local Tibetans in Tawu, however, Tsewang Chophel had been under police surveillance ever since Tibetans in Tawu protested against the Chinese authorities following the self-immolation of monk Kelsang Yeshi on 23 December 2014.
TCHRD has translated two poems composed by the versatile young Tibetan writer Tsultrim Gyaltsen aka Shogdril who was detained late last week in the middle of night from his home at Tengkhar Village in Shamchu Township in Diru (Ch: Biru) County, Nagchu (Ch: Naqu) Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region.
Tsultrim Gyaltsen, 27, and his friend, Yugyal, 26, continue to remain in secret detention since 12 October 2013. [For more information, please click here]
Both the poems, Ugly Lhasa and God Must Die were published in October 2012 on www.tibetcul.com, a website run by Tibetans inside Tibet. It seems the author had meant to complete the first poem Ugly Lhasa as it is still appended with a “To be continued”. Unsurprisingly, the second poem generated much criticism for its seemingly blasphemous views against religious belief. In fact, Shogdril castigates religious dogma and prevailing fatalism among believers, so his compatriots could wake up from their slumber of resignation and face life’s challenges on its own terms. It is a poem filled with existential angst, reminiscent of Nietzsche and Lu Xun. In God Must Die, twice Shogdril quotes Lu Xun.
A Tibetan writer and his friend, a former police officer, were detained late last week in an ongoing crackdown at Diru (Ch: Biru) County in Nagchu (Ch: Naqu) Prefecture in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).
According to information received by TCHRD, writer Tsultrim Gyaltsen, 27, was detained by a group of County Public Security Bureau (PSB) officers during a night raid at his home in Tengkhar Village in Shamchu Township, Diru County.
On 11 October 2013 at around 1 am, PSB officers detained Tsultrim Gyaltsen, who used to write under the pseudonym Shogdril (Eng: Morning Bell), from his home on accusations that he “engaged in separatist activities and disrupted social stability by spreading rumours” during the recent unrest in Diru County.
The Diru County PSB officers searched his house and confiscated his mobile phone, computer, books and other documents before detaining him.
Chinese authorities have detained a monk from Kirti Monastery on the eve of the 54th anniversary of Tibetan uprising day in Ngaba (Ch: Aba) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province.
According to reliable information received by TCHRD, Tsepak, 29, was detained at around midnight on 9 March from his aunt’s home in the eastern part of Kirti Monastery in Ngaba County. Tsepak had been staying there for some time taking care of his sick aunt.
On 15 February 2012, popular Tibetan writer Gangkye Drubpa Kyab was detained by Chinese security personnel. On the night of 15 February, a team of around 20 police officers picked up 33-yr-old Gangkye Drubpa Kyab and raided his home in Serta (Chinese: Seda) County, Sichuan Province.
Sources say that Gangkye’s wife Wangchuk Lhamo asked the security officers why and where they were taking her husband; to which the officers replied that they had to question him about something. Gangkye has been a teacher for more than 10 years in Serta, Kardze (Ch: Ganzi)Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. He is a prominent writer and author of ‘De Dhon Ghi Migchu’ (Tears of the Past). He is son of father Thupnye and mother Wanglo. He is married to Wangchuk Lhamo and has a son and a daughter.
According to information received by Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) from a reliable source, Kunchok Tsephel, who run a Tibetan language and culture website – Chomei (eng. Lamp) (http://www.tibetcm.com/index.html) was arrested at his home in Gannan “Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture” (“TAP”), Gansu Province.
On 26 February 2009, the Chinese security in Machu arrested Kunchok Tsephel Gopey Tsang, a resident of Nyul-ra Township, Machu County, Gannan “TAP”, Gansu Province. He is currently said to be detained in one of the Public Security Bureau (PSB) Detention centres in Gannan “TAP”. The Centre also learned that Kunchok’s house was ransacked, his computer confiscated, and rooms searched for other incriminating materials.